Roommate Conflicts? Here’s How to Solve Them.

May 10, 2017 Taylor

Roommate Conflicts? Here’s How to Solve Them.

Living with a roommate isn’t alway easy. Here are some steps to make it a little easier to resolve your roommate conflicts!

No matter how well you get along with someone, challenges are bound to arise when you begin living together. Whether you are complete strangers or best friends, you want to make sure that you’re on the same page when it comes to sharing a living space. Here are 5 tips to help solve your roommate conflicts.

1. Talk It Out

Sometimes your roommate just might not know what they’re doing is bothering you. It’s always best to communicate how you’re feeling and not just assume that they know you don’t like something they’re doing. Is your roommate a “leave the butter on the counter” kind of person and you’re not? Tell them!

2. Don’t Hold Grudges

If you’ve reached an agreement with your roommate on how things should be done, don’t bring up how they went wrong in the past if a conflict arises. Resolved roommate conflicts have no place in the conversation for current roommate conflicts. If your roommate stopped leaving their hair in the shower drain, don’t bring it up when you’re talking about their vacuuming habits!

3. Take the High Road

Like it or not, you aren’t always right. If an issue isn’t life or death for you, let your roommate win the battle sometimes. Also, when you’re wrong, acknowledge it! It will make life a lot easier for both of you!

4. Compromise

Sometimes issues don’t always have to be, “You’re right, I’m wrong.” Sometimes you can establish the middle ground and take that approach. Does your roommate like the kitchen spotless and you don’t mind some crumbs? Agree that you’ll wipe off the counter after you cook, even if you don’t sweep afterward.

5. Find the Light at the End of the Tunnel

If nothing else works, just consider that you only have to stay there for a short amount of time. Most leases are only a year long, you can do anything for a year! Just make the most of what you can and if there are too many issues that you can’t resolve, look for a new place next year!

There are bound to be several spats that happen when you’re living with someone else. Use these steps to help keep your apartment a peaceful home.